The Lithuanian government has declared a state of emergency over balloons entering the country from neighboring Belarus. Earlier, it was reported that balloons carrying contraband goods were spotted over Belarus. The primary concern is the transport of smuggled cigarettes.
Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovich justified the declaration of a state of emergency not only by disrupting air traffic, but also in the interests of national security. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it an “unacceptable hybrid attack.”
